EMDR and Children

When children carry the weight of trauma, it doesn’t just shape their behavior—it rewires their brain, disrupts development, and compromises their capacity to trust, connect, and thrive. Clinicians are often the first line of hope in helping young clients heal—but healing requires more than good intentions. It demands a nuanced, developmentally attuned, and evidence-based approach like EMDR.

This powerful, self-paced course provides behavioral health clinicians with the insight, techniques, and confidence needed to use EMDR with children and adolescents in a way that is not only effective—but trauma-informed and grounded in the critical science of attachment.

Megan Salar, MSW, ACADC, CCTP-II, EMDR-C, is a nationally recognized EMDR trainer, trauma expert, and published author with a passion for revolutionizing trauma treatment. With deep clinical experience and a track record of training thousands of clinicians across the U.S. and internationally, she brings clarity and compassion to one of the most complex areas in behavioral health.

Through creative, play-integrated tools and real-world clinical insights, Megan guides learners in understanding how trauma and attachment shape the developing brain—and how EMDR can be customized to promote healing, resilience, and growth in young clients.

Topics covered include the neurobiology of trauma and attachment, recognizing trauma through a developmental lens, using EMDR to treat complex attachment disruptions, dual awareness techniques for children, somatic and play-based resourcing methods, caregiver involvement in treatment, dissociation and emotional dysregulation, trauma screening tools, and therapeutic strategies for regulation and stabilization.

Key Takeaways:

• Developmental understanding of trauma: Learn how attachment deficits and early trauma alter brain development and how to identify the signs in clinical practice.
• Tools for transformation: Gain resourcing techniques and EMDR-specific interventions tailored to the unique needs of children and adolescents.
• Strategies for complex cases: Understand how to work with caregivers, recognize dissociative patterns, and integrate play and somatic tools for more effective outcomes.

Why this course?

• Designed for real-world challenges: This course equips clinicians with actionable EMDR strategies specifically adapted for working with children and teens—something many EMDR trainings don’t fully address.
• Expert-led, experience-based: Megan Salar brings unmatched depth in trauma and EMDR, combining science and storytelling to deliver practical, deeply resonant learning.
• A mission-driven provider: Telehealth Certification Institute is committed to empowering clinicians with top-tier training that aligns with ethical practice, clinical excellence, and compassionate care.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the basics of how attachment and trauma impact brain development.
• Express how to differentiate between trauma, attachment and other underlying mental health concerns.
• Apply specific EMDR based resourcing techniques to assist with emotional regulation.
• Demonstrate how to utilize attachment based interventions to create stabilization within children and adolescent populations.
• Explain how EMDR can target trauma and attachment-based deficits.
• Apply different forms of dual awareness for children and adolescent clients.
• Identify different trauma screening tools that are effective in diagnosing early experiences of trauma.
• Explain how to utilize somatic-based techniques to regulate emotional disturbance.

Through the guidance of a seasoned trauma expert, this course will help you unlock the full potential of EMDR for your youngest, most vulnerable clients. Explore this self-study offering today and discover how your work can become a powerful catalyst for healing and change.

Add to cart to begin learning instantly.

This is a non-interactive, self-study course. Instruction consists of 6 hours of video instruction and a post-test.